Swingers (1996)
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A struggling comedian in Los Angeles seeks help from his friends to move on from a painful breakup during the 1990s swing revival.
The story
Mike Peters is a struggling comedian in Los Angeles, still reeling from a breakup with his girlfriend of six years. To help him overcome his depression, his womanizing friend Trent and a group of fellow aspiring actors attempt to reintegrate him into the social scene. The narrative follows their efforts as they navigate the local nightlife and the 1990s swing revival. Amidst the camaraderie of their shared struggle in the entertainment industry, Mike must decide whether to remain stuck in the past or embrace a new life, while his friends provide both comedic support and harsh reality checks regarding his behavior.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Mike Peters, a struggling comedian in Los Angeles, is obsessed with his ex-girlfriend Michelle. His friend Trent and other aspiring actors try to get him back into the social scene. After a failed trip to Las Vegas where Mike's behavior ruins a potential date, the group explores the LA nightlife. Mike meets a woman named Nikki but, after a series of impulsive actions, she tells him to never call again. Later, at a club called The Derby, Mike meets Lorraine. While they dance swing together, Mike receives a call from Michelle. He chooses to hang up on her to pursue a connection with Lorraine. The film ends with the group at a coffee shop where Trent makes a fool of himself, while Mike realizes his life is moving forward while Trent remains stuck in the past.
- First release year
- 1996
- Runtime (minutes)
- 96
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Doug Liman
- Writers
- Jon Favreau · writer
- Cast and characters
- Jon Favreau · Mike; Vince Vaughn · Trent; Ron Livingston; Patrick Van Horn; Alex Désert; Heather Graham
- Genres
- buddy comedy; romance
- Themes
- moving on; friendship; fame
- Tone and mood
- funny; heartfelt; cool
- Premise and plot tags
- buddy comedy; independent film; romance
- Reception
- A critical and commercial hit, the film was praised for its humor and heart, helping to launch the careers of its lead actors and director.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 88% · scale: percentage · review count: 56; Metacritic · score: 71 · scale: 100 · review count: 25
- Awards and nominations
- Best New Filmmaker · MTV Movie Awards · 1997 · win
- Production trivia
- The title was inspired by the Swingers Diner on Beverly Boulevard.; The 'you're so money' catchphrase originated from a television commercial with Spike Lee and Michael Jordan.; The film's production was influenced by the 1990s swing revival.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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